Pan HC-X920 camcorder query

[Peter Stedman]

Have treated myself to a Pan HC-X920 camcorder. I'm not sure if I like the instructions on a CD rather than a booklet that can be kept in the camera bag. However . . my question.

I've installed the software HD Writer AE 5.0 and followed it through to capturing the files and it tells me that the files will be installed in Drive C\xxxxxxxxx. I don't want these video files installed on Drive C as I have dedicated drives on my PC for video files. There appears to be no option to choose a destination drive of my own choice.

Any advice or suggestions on this initial problem please? Pete

[Michael Slowe]

Peter, although I can't answer your specific question (doubtless others will), I do suggest that it it not good practice to put your video files on the drive in your computer. I was always told that that drive is for operating rather than storing. Maybe written files and still pictures are fine but video is more demanding and you may be compromising speed and efficiency by not putting video material on external drives, as is the practice of all the editors that I come in contact with.

[Peter Stedman]

Thanks Michael. That is the point I was making. I certainly DON'T want to put video files on Drive C, that's why I have two separate video drives for all my video files. This Panasonic software seem to give no choice but to Drive C. Unless others know better of course.
Cheers. Pete.

[col lamb]

Peter

Unless you wish to use the very crude editing and disc creation elements of the Panny software I'd ignore it altogether.

See my AVCHD sticky post which includes a section on importing and storing.

Basically create a new folder on your video drive & call it whatever you want ie "Oct13_steamtrain" would tell me the contents and when videoed. Then copy the whole of the SD card into this folder. Make a backup elsewhere. Then you can import the video files from the Stream folder into your project

Please remind us of what editing software you use for more advice

[Peter Stedman]

Thanks Col,
Firstly sorry about my previous post being repeated three times. For some reason my posting on the forum didn't seem to work and I thought it had failed so I pressed the button again . . .

I will read and study your earlier posting before I ask anything else.

The editing software I am now using is Premiere CS6 and my new PC was created by DVC and I've been very pleased with it. My previous machine from them had Premiere CS4. Their after sales service and help has always been first class.
Now to study what you have written. Cheers. Pete.

[col lamb]

Pete

If you are now running CS6 and on a DVC made PC your kit is man enough to play back and edit the native AVCHD files.

Copy the SD card as per my advice onto your PC and import the video files into Premiere from the PC folder where the files are located

So you do not need the Panasonic software

[Brian Saberton]

Just as an aside it is possible to purchase printed copies of camera manuals from OTC Ltd at www.oldtimercameras.com

Don't be put off by the name - I recently bought a manual for my X920

[Peter Stedman]

Thanks for that link Brian. I have asked the company for additional details such as, are the illustrations in colour as on the CD received and what size are the booklets? I gather they do two sizes. What size did you get?
Cheers. Pete

[TimStannard]

Peter, I have used AE 4.1 supplied with an X900 and as far as I can recall it was a simple process to change where the captured files are stored.

For those wondering why use AE the simple answer is that it will re-constitute files which are larger than the 4GB limit imposed by the FAT32 file system of the SD card media.

To put it another way, if you are recording long sequences (eg as I was, as school show) it is possible that the resulting files on the SD card will be longer than 4GB. Some people have experienced the odd frame go missing if you simply copy (import) from the SD cards and join them together. The AE software patches these together seamlessly and presents your computer with one long file.

[tom hardwick]

I'm with Tim on this one - and I always use Panasonic's HD Writer to import the files from my SD900 Panasonic. It's quick, easy and intuitive to use, just what I need.

tom.

[Brian Saberton]

Peter - my booklet is A5 size, the illustrations are in black and white and there are 202 pages on good quality paper and very well printed. it's much more convenient than a CD as I can take it with me in case I get stuck!